Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

This is one of my all-time favourite soups! It reminds me of my mum, she always used to cook this in my teenage years. A simple family recipe that is quick and easy to make, and not to mention super healthy! -N x

Description

Ranked as the number one powerhouse vegetable in terms of its nutritional density (high in nutrients, low in calories) (Di Noia, 2014), it’s not surprising that we made a soup with watercress at the core.

Watercress is seen to be incredibly beneficial for human health due its phytonutrient composition. A phytonutrient is defined as ‘a bioactive plant-derived compound associated with positive health effects’ (Merriam-Webster, 2018). Watercress provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits and has been linked to the reduced risk of chronic disease (Voutsina, 2016).

Ingredients

• 200g watercress (washed)
• 1 white onion, diced
• 8oz potato, peeled and diced
• 1 pint vegetable or chicken stock (check the label if you have an allergy or intolerance)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 100ml coconut milk for a creamier soup (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, once hot add the diced onion and fry on a medium heat until its about to turn golden.
2. Add the chopped potato and the vegetable/chicken stock and cook on a medium heat with the lid on until the potatoes are soft (approximately for 15 mins).
3. Add the watercress and cook for a couple of minutes until it is all wilted.
4. If you would like a creamier soup add a little coconut milk.
5. Pour the cooked ingredients into the blender and blitz.

Enjoy!

References:

Di Noia, J. Defining (2014). ‘Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables: A Nutrient Density Approach’, Preventing Chronic Disease, 11 (95). NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049200/ (Accessed: 12 January 2018).

Merriam-Webster. (2018). Phytonutrient. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phytonutrient (Accessed: 12 January 2018).

Voutsina, N. Payne, AC. Hancock, RD. et al. (2016). ‘Characterization of the Watercress (Nasturtium officinale Br.; Brassicaceae) Transcriptome using RNASeq and Identification of Candidate Genes for Important Phytonutrient Traits linked to Human Health’, BMC Genomics, 17 (378) pp.1-15 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875719/ (Accessed: 12 January 2018).